Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

GI Specialty Programs

• Inpatient and Outpatient Care

  We can treat some GI conditions using simple lifestyle changes or medication. Other conditions require long-term management and care. Services we provide include:

  • Physician consultations
  • Testing and screening services
  • Surgical procedures
  • Ongoing nutritional support

  Patients can receive care at our main campus facility or at one of our specialty care locations. We have five convenient specialty care centers throughout the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area. If your child does not require hospitalization, our specialty care centers provide easy access to our team of specialists. You can get the GI services you need close to home, with the same level of expertise and excellence as you would find at our hospital.

• Aerodigestive Clinic

  The Aerodigestive Clinic provides comprehensive, coordinated care to children with complex problems involving the airway (lungs), digestive tract and feeding. Patients must be seen by at least one specialist before they can be referred to the Aerodigestive Clinic. Referrals can be made by a parent or physician. To make a referral, email us or call our nurse practitioner 202-476-4837.

• Eosinophilic Esophagitis Clinic

  Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic inflammation of the esophagus. It is a chronic condition that usually results from a food allergy. The condition is more common in children who might have other allergies including food and seasonal allergies, eczema and asthma.

  Our multidisciplinary clinic provides a collaborative and comprehensive evaluation for children diagnosed with EoE. Our team of experts will provide patients and their families with up-to-date information in the areas of clinical and research progress. Our goal is to provide guidance for families to make informed decisions around EoE.

  In our clinic, families will meet with a team consisting of an allergist, gastroenterologist and nutritionist. Together, we tailor a plan to help your child face EoE.

  • Allergy. Children affected by allergies and complex immunologic disorders benefit from our specialists’ expertise, because our doctors treat children and only children with these conditions. We will evaluate your child for food and environmental allergies using skin prick and blood tests.
  • Gastroenterology. Our pediatric gastroenterology team provides comprehensive, personalized care for infants, children and teenagers. The internationally renowned pediatric specialists at Children’s National have the skills and resources to diagnose, treat and manage digestive disorders in children. When your child meets with the gastroenterologist, we will discuss options around endoscopic and GERD evaluations.
  • Nutrition. Our experts will review specific dietary treatment plans customized according to food allergy evaluation, provide print material on common food allergies and share recipe ideas tailored to your child's nutritional needs.

• Feeding Disorders Program

  Our Feeding Disorders Program includes a group of specialists who have been evaluating and successfully treating young children with a variety of different feeding problems for almost 30 years.

  Common problems evaluated include:

  • Poor appetite
  • Poor weight gain
  • Selective eating
  • Difficulties advancing onto an age appropriate diet 

  We also see children with a variety of medical and developmental issues that impact feeding as well as children who are on supplemental tube feedings.

  Initial appointments are scheduled with one of the nurse practitioners in the Gastroenterology Department where a comprehensive history and physical are completed, medical testing may be considered and treatment is initiated. Patients may be referred to other specialists in Psychiatry, Nutrition, Hearing and Speech, and Occupational Therapy.

  Appointments for an initial Feeding Assessment can be made at our main hospital by calling the Gastroenterology scheduling line at 202-476-3032.

• Helicobacter Pylori Disease Program

  H. pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium found in the stomach, which (along with acid secretion) damages stomach and duodenal tissue, causing inflammation and peptic ulcers. Treatments may include antibiotics to kill the bacteria or medications to suppress acid production. 

• Hepatology Program

  Our Hepatology Program provides specialized diagnostic, evaluation and treatment services for children with a variety of liver diseases. We emphasize a personal approach to care, and the program's pediatric gastroenterologists work closely with related specialists from the divisions of Radiology, Anesthesiology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine to create an individual care plan for every child.

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program

  Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract. IBD includes Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and indeterminate colitis. IBD can be painful and may severely affect your child’s quality of life. IBD can be successfully treated with medication, nutrition therapy and occasionally surgery, but there is currently no cure for the disease. The goal of IBD treatment in our program is to induce and maintain remission. This is defined in part by a healed intestine, but also with a goal of improved quality of life and return to normal functioning.

• Intestinal Rehabilitation Program

  The Intestinal Rehabilitation Program at Children’s National Hospital incorporates multiple medical and surgical therapies to promote intestinal adaption to eventually wean patients from parenteral nutrition. Our program is one of the few programs in the country for infants, children, and teens with short bowel syndrome and complex gastrointestinal disorders.

• Nutrition Program

  The Nutrition Program team treats children with special nutrition needs, including those who require gastronomy or jejunal tube feeding, and inpatients who need close monitoring of their nutrient intake. Additionally, Children’s National Hospital offers the highest level of specialized care for children requiring home parenteral nutrition.